Healthcare

After the Legislation, the Deluge

By Justin Katz | March 25, 2010 |

This might be the most frightening thing related to the healthcare legislation that I’ve read thus far: Dr. Nick Tsiongas, who sounded jubilant when reached by phone Monday, actually agrees with Purcell that the bill is weak on cost control. But Tsiongas, who founded the local reform group HealthRIght, believes the federal legislation will allow…

Spotting the Spin in the Fact Check

By Justin Katz | March 25, 2010 |

Perhaps you’ve noticed the newspaper fad, in recent months, of printing “fact checks” that purport to offer readers a balanced and objective assessment of the spin surrounding various issues. I stopped bothering with them after the first couple, when it occurred to me that the articles are mainly useful for bloggers still interested in spotting…

Rhode Island’s Lesson for America

By Justin Katz | March 23, 2010 |

It’s been an education in the future of healthcare in the United States to watch Rhode Island’s three insurers seek rate increases from the state as the Democrats have forced their legislation through Congress. On Thursday, the state health insurance commissioner, Christopher Koller “slashed” proposed premium increases and: … that’s not the only effect: Koller…

Patrick Lynch Not Interested in Challenging the Federal Government’s Power to Impose a Purchase Mandate on Individuals

By Carroll Andrew Morse | March 22, 2010 |

According to Steve Peoples of the Projo’s 7-to-7 newsblog, Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch (to no one’s surprise, really) is not interested in joining a potential lawsuit by the states challenging the Federal government’s power to require that individuals purchase something…“I don’t like a lot of the decisions that the legislature makes every day.…

At Some Point After Healthcare Reform Kicks In

By Monique Chartier | March 22, 2010 |

Not understanding this. Long waits and worsening care. Costs increasing – strange, why didn’t price controls take care of that? Looks like we’re gonna need to do some more revenue enhancing. Doctors dropping out. (Huh. Wonder if that’s related to the price controls.) Most doctors have stopped taking Medicare patients? Well, a “universal coverage” addendum…

We Awake in a Different Country

By Justin Katz | March 22, 2010 |

For almost a year, the people of the United States have taken every opportunity to tell their “representatives” not to absorb our healthcare system into the government. Tea Parties, town halls, elections (even unto taking a Massachusetts Senate seat out of Democrat hands), and poll after poll after poll. They didn’t care. They’ve lied. They’ve…

Will Patrick Lynch be Getting a Phone Call Tonight…

By Carroll Andrew Morse | March 21, 2010 |

…and do we have a new issue in both the Rhode Island Attorney General’s and the Governor’s races, based on this facebook post from the Attorney General of Texas (h/t NRO)…Texas attorney general Greg Abbott Facebooks: “I am organizing a conference call tonight for AGs across the country. We will discuss our litigation strategy about…

Breaking: The Stupak Sell-Out

By Justin Katz | March 21, 2010 |

The Stupak pro-lifers have accepted an executive order for their votes: Stupak announced support for the bill as the White House issued its statement about the executive order. The president “will be issuing an executive order after the passage of the health insurance reform law that will reaffirm its consistency with longstanding restrictions on the…

Re: Sunday Healthcare Whip Report

By Carroll Andrew Morse | March 21, 2010 |

Stupak is now officially a “yes”. National Review Online has identified 3 pro-life Congressmen that may not go along with the executive order solution. Two of them, Dan Lipinski and Jerry Costello both of Illinois, are on the Firedoglake Stupak-list. A third, Gene Taylor was already counted as a “no”. Earl Pomeroy has declared he…

Sunday Healthcare Whip Report

By Carroll Andrew Morse | March 21, 2010 |

Firedoglake is reporting that Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, who had been in listed in their Stupak bloc (don’t know that we can really call them pro-lifers as a group anymore) will vote “yes” regardless of any changes in abortion language. Bart Stupak’s statement that he has 6 members in his bloc suggests least one or…